Sunday, November 10, 2013

The Super Correct

Newly built storage barn

Refrain from the Life of the Super Correct

Driven by fear, there are people who leave the Church and head into
schism. In Greece there are at least eighteen "Old Calendar" Orthodox
churches who claim to be THE Church, not recognizing each other as
canonical. In the United States there are nearly the same numbers, some
Slavic and others of Greek origin. They are all filled with prideful
people, thinking of themselves as the only remnant of Christ's Church.

These
people practice a form of Christianity that is filled with self
righteous rigidity, totally lacking in humility. Walling themselves off
from World Orthodoxy, they become extremely pharisitical, harsh,
punitive and rotten to the core. In their legalistic approach to the
canons and traditions of the Church they enter into a state of constant
judgment against anyone outside their arrogant, cultish religiosity.

In their narrow minded approach to the Church, they fail to trust that
the Holy Spirit is guiding and protecting His Church. They don't see the
Holy Spirit operating in the life of people because they themselves are
closed off to the Holy Spirit. Where is the life of the Church
manifested among such people? They do nothing for the love of humanity
and their lack of love begets more schism. Schism begets schism begets
schism. A never ending downward spiral into the abyss.

Their
usual premise is based on the issue of the calendar change and false
ecumenism. The calendar issue is more important to them than the unity
of the Church forgetting, as they do, that the early church celebrated
many of the great feasts on different days.

False ecumenism is
hardly an issue today, with the numbers of theologians and bishops who
are truly caught up in it has dwindled to almost nothing, along with the
liberal thinking that has gone out of fashion since the fall of
communism. The Russian Church, the largest of the Local Churches, has
taken a strong stand against false ecumenism and is powerfully pushing
forth the unchanging canons, traditions and faith of the ancient Church.

Orthodox Christianity has withstood two thousand years of attacks and
persecution, yet the gates of hell have not prevailed against her. This
was Christ's promise to his disciples before His Holy Resurrection. To
believe otherwise is to blaspheme against the Holy Spirit.

Love in Christ, Abbot Tryphon

Thank you to all who sent birthday greetings on the occasion of my 68th year. I can't believe I'm this old!

Great-martyr Parasceva of Iconium (3rd c.).
Martyrs Terence and Neonilla of Syria, and their children Sarbelus, Photus, Theodulus, Hierax, Nitus, Bele, and Eunice (249).
Venerable Stephen of St. Sabbas monastery, hymnographer (807).St. Arsenius I of Srem, archbishop of Serbia (1266).
Repose of Venerable Job of Pochaev (1651).St. Demetrius, metropolitan of Rostov (1709).
New Hieromartyr John priest (1918).
New Hieromartyr Archpriest Michael Lektorsky of Kuban (1920).
St. Arsenius of Cappadocia (1924).
Venerable Nestor (not the Chronicler) of the Kiev Caves (14th c.).
St. Theophilus, fool-for-Christ of Kiev (1852).
Martyrs Africanus, Terence, Maximus, Pompeius, and 36 others, at Carthage (250).
Hieromartyr Cyriacus, patriarch of Jerusalem (363), and his mother Martyr Anna.
Venerable John the Chozebite, bishop of Caesarea in Palestine (532).
Hieromartyr Neophytus, bishop of Urbnisi, Georgia (587) (Georgia).
St. Firmilian, bishop of Caesareain Cappadocia, and Venerable Malchion, presbyter (269).
St. Febronia, daughter of Emperor Heraclius (632).
Righteous Virgin Parasceva of Pirimin on the Pinega River (Archangelsk) (16th c.).
New Martyrs Angelis, Manuel, George, and Nicholas of Crete (1824) (Greek).
St. Athanasius I, patriarch of Constantinople (Mt. Athos) (1340) (Greek).
Protection of the Mother of God (Greek).You can read the life of the saint by clicking on the highlighted name.

THANKS to all of you who have been able to contribute towards
the support of the monastery. These difficult times of economic hardship
have impacted the monastery, and those of you who have been able to
donate, have been our lifeline. May God bless you for your generosity,
and kindness.
With love in Christ, Abbot Tryphon

Donations can be made directly to the monastery through PayPal, or you may send donations to:

Galatians 1:11-19

Call to Apostleship

11 But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. 12 For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.13 For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it. 14 And
I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own
nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers.15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, 16 to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood, 17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.

Contacts at Jerusalem

18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and remained with him fifteen days. 19 But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord’s brother.

Luke 8:26-39

A Demon-Possessed Man Healed

26 Then they sailed to the country of the Gadarenes, which is opposite Galilee. 27 And
when He stepped out on the land, there met Him a certain man from the
city who had demons for a long time. And he wore no clothes, nor did he live in a house but in the tombs. 28 When
he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before Him, and with a loud voice
said, “What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I
beg You, do not torment me!” 29 For
He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For it had
often seized him, and he was kept under guard, bound with chains and
shackles; and he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the
wilderness.30 Jesus asked him, saying, “What is your name?”And he said, “Legion,” because many demons had entered him. 31 And they begged Him that He would not command them to go out into the abyss.32 Now
a herd of many swine was feeding there on the mountain. So they begged
Him that He would permit them to enter them. And He permitted them. 33 Then
the demons went out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd ran
violently down the steep place into the lake and drowned.34 When those who fed them saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country. 35 Then
they went out to see what had happened, and came to Jesus, and found
the man from whom the demons had departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus,
clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. 36 They also who had seen it told them by what means he who had been demon-possessed was healed. 37 Then
the whole multitude of the surrounding region of the Gadarenes asked
Him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. And He
got into the boat and returned.38 Now the man from whom the demons had departed begged Him that he might be with Him. But Jesus sent him away, saying, 39 “Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you.” And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.